Reports

6th CBCI Youth Council - ICYM NATIONAL CONSULTATION

We, the 60 delegates of CBCI Youth Council from all over India gathered for the 6th National ICYM and YCS/YSM Directors Consultation held on 9th and 10th June at KROSS, Bangalore having reflected on the current situation of youth in India and committed to ourselves to serve the youth with a renewed vigour.

As Jesus, our supreme leader who took the initiative to animate the disciples on the way to Emmaus, so do we as bishops, directors, animators’ and youth leaders take the initiative to encounter and witness Jesus in the life of our teenagers and youth.

As the three member bishops of CBCI Council for Youth, Bishop Henry D’Souza, Bishop Vincent Mar Paulose and Bishop Pandaraserril stated, we are called to make youth Christ’s disciple. We understand the confused and inconsistent situation of youth and we will strive to accompany them, to rise above the divisive tendencies based on caste and language and help them to develop a culture of tolerance and cooperation. We will endeavour to achieve holistic and integral growth of youth and inspire them to be achievers, by reaching out, to empower, correct, appreciate and spare more time for them. We attend to their problems individually through dialogue. Being compassionate to them, we shall suffer with them by changing ourselves and set an example for them to follow.

CHALLENGES:

1. Youth in India are at the cross-roads and therefore directors and animators need to be their role models to show them ‘disciple leadership’ in animation2. We are yet to reach out to many hence full time directors/ animators are the need of the hour. 3. Church’s role to promote young towards value based leadership who will be one day in decision making positions.4. Youth need to be sensitized to family values, relationship issues, social issues, morality and church teachings on various moral issues with better clarity.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. We have a young church which is a blessing of God to India.2. A number of excellent educational and other institutions to cater to the needs of the young.3. Many full time young youth directors and animators to animate them.4. A strong base in CBCI Youth Council to serve the young and teenagers.5. We have a structured movement having good leadership supported by the church leadership and good coordination in various levels which organizes programs on faith formation and socio cultural integration.

Implementation:

Having pondered over our role as youth animators, we have collectively resolved to implement the following strategic plan and vision for 2015- 2017:

1. The call to the animators is to bear abundant fruits which can be produced only through clear vision and concerted effort. 2. CBCI Youth Council in collaboration with CRI and Education Commissions, with the intention to prepare today, tomorrow’s leaders, to introduce Career Advancement Program (CAP- INDIA). The goal is to empower Indian Catholic Youth with clear vision and mission; To foster political leaders, people in the judiciary, civil servants, professionals, entrepreneurs, scientific farmers and allied services and mould the strength of character so that they become confident solidly founded on Gospel values. It shall be started as pilot plan from Karnataka this year and shall be spread to all regions of India.3. We shall promote YCS/YSM for the teenagers from the age group of 13 to 18 and promote ICYM for their integral holistic growth.4. We shall plan YUVAGRAM with skill based training programs and promote youth action along with VOLUNTEERISM.

With the combined efforts of all, we resolve to serve the teenagers and youth of India to promote them in all spheres of life and offer them to God as a sweet expiation of our hard labour, thus sending value based disciples to witness Christ in the service of humanity to build a new society, i.e. God’s Kingdom.